We Are WaterBeach CampingJuice Fasting

This weekend on the beach is designed to inspire you to incorporate a fasting routine into your life as well as to flush out blockages in your creative and emotional energy center.

Coming together as a community to meditate, practice yoga, hike, discuss, read, play in the ocean and create watercolor paintings will spark Big Magic into our being as we aim to find balance with our feelings, sense of trust, respect for nature, abundance of life, compassion for others, inner serenity, friendliness, and creative expression.

Being outside and relaxing near open water helps to open our Sacral Chakra. Sacral means relating to the sacrum, or sacred. Sacred is something considered worthy of spiritual respect. Therefore, as universal symbol for the soul, the Sacral Chakra is area where new life is generated. ​

Some signs that we are out of balance in this energy center includes: emotional instability, fear of water, fear of change, sexual dysfunction, depression, overly needy, insufficient boundaries, and addictions in which there’s a constant need for stimulation (entertainment, partying, binge eating) or frequent emotional drama. ​

The sacral chakra is also about finding a balance with pleasure and desire, and when it’s off balance, sometimes we attempt to fill the resulting void with a “quick fix” like comfort food, alcoholic beverages, or romantic flings.

Fasting is an epitome of many ancient cultures and now modern day science is confirming its power to transform us. Not just physically, but also emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Through a juice or water fast we can develop self-discipline as we learn how to step away from this downward spiral of desire, re-adjust our appetite, and cleanse our system. Juice fasting is a nourishing tool to improve our health, clarity, sense of connection to self, and connection to our spirit. ​

"In time and with water, everything changes."-Leonardo da Vinci

When we juice our fruits and vegetables, we remove the fiber and drink only the liquid which contains the organic hydration, nutrients, vitamins and enzymes from the plant food. Pure raw juice helps to break down acidic waste matter and rejuvenate our bodies at a cellular level. Although fiber can be useful in our diet, going for a certain period of time without it gives our bodies a chance to spend less energy on digestion.

Around 70% of our energy each day is spent on digestion alone, so when we are eating three meals a day plus snacks, we are rarely giving our bodies a chance to direct energy to deeply cleanse the body. The old acidic waste build up is likely causing a whole host of symptoms like headaches, constipation, diarrhea, skin troubles, fatigue, irritability, excess weight, bloating, and more. Multi-billion dollar industries profit from sick people and fasting is the key to prevention when it comes to disease. ​

Because water is also associated with our Sacral Chakra, Svadhisthana. Throughout this weekend we will drink water mixed with juice, camp by the water and use water to create beautiful watercolor paintings. We will also discuss the powerful book about creativity, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Everything that we create, whether it be a poem, a drawing, or a website, originates from the energy of our Sacral Chakra. Any time we take raw materials, physical or mental, and transform them into something new, we are using our creative energy. We also tap into this source when enjoying art, beauty, and sensory experience; being able to experience emotions without being overwhelmed by them; being adventurous and open to change.

Book Discussion

Yoga

Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.

I agree with Gilbert as she believes that we all have a creative side, even though our mediums and outlets vary from writing, painting, designing, engineering, cooking, dancing, singing, speaking, coding, baking, acting, or even bedazzling your ox. She remarks, “To even call somebody ‘a creative person’ is almost laughably redundant; creativity is the hallmark of our species. We have the senses for it; we have the curiosity for it; we have the opposable thumbs for it; we have the rhythm for it; we have th​e language and the excitement and the innate connection to divinity for it.”

Liz Gilbert also expresses the idea that nothing is nor should be perfect. We should explore creativity like a trickster or magician, with a playful and experimental approach.

Meditation

Meditation has been practiced since antiquity as a component of numerous religious traditions and beliefs. We will practice visualizations, breathing techniques, affirmations and mantras, concentration, listening, awareness of our thoughts, inner stillness, non judgement, and much more.

Yin Yoga- These asanas include 2-5 minutes holds in positions usually aimed at opening the hips.Yin yoga poses apply moderate stress to the connective tissues of the body—the tendons, fascia, and ligaments—with the aim of increasing circulation in the joints and improving flexibility. A more meditative approach to yoga, yin aims at cultivating awareness of inner silence, and bringing to light a universal, interconnecting quality.

Hatha- This term encompasses a broad range of yoga philosophy and styles, but for the purposes of this weekend, it means longer holds, like 1-2 minutes in each pose with attention to alignment and balance.

Nature Walk

We will walk approximately 2.5 miles along the beach to the trailhead at N. Rios Ave.

Annies Canyon Trail contains naturally eroding sandstone walls that create a sense of mystery and wonder. Imagine what this canyon view revealed to the Kumeyaay and early settlers. It’s likely this was a spiritual place for many people with its sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and lagoon at an elevation of 200-feet above sea level. The canyon was sculpted by water, over time, which poured over sandstone and smoothed its surface into narrow corridors with sandy footing like a dry creek bed. It is deeper than it is wide.

Watercolor Painting Workshop

Let your creativity flow like water. We will practice watercolor painting techniques, brainstorm on ideas of subjects to paint, either from what we see directly or from our imaginations with a focus on color, line quality, balance, value, texture, and rhythm.

Free Time

In your free time you can walk the beach, socialize, play in the ocean, surf, read, color, draw, paint, journal, or visit the local stores.

Connecting

There will be many opportunities to share what you are learning or working through in this open and trusting environment of growth.

​You can also share your favorite passages and quotes from the book or any type of creativity that you are practicing or wish to develop.

Cost

The campsite is reserved and Fresh Juices will be provided along with four yoga and meditation sessions, schedule, discussion questions, and painting workshop.Limit 7 participants.